The organisers of the Singapore AirShow should be applauded for the excellent public transport simulation they have created.

The high-income earners found wearing suits to the AirShow despite Singapore’s hot weather have always complained that they do not understand the public’s displeasure with the public transport system. They frequently hear of train breakdowns and over congestion during peak hours but they have never had the chance to experience it first-hand.

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Now, thanks to the AirShow organisers, they have the opportunity to empathise with common Singaporeans by going through the Public Transport Simulation Exercise or PTSE for short. Foreigners also get the chance at the uniquely Singapore experience.

PTSE was developed and implemented on a massive scale by the AirShow with careful planning and consultation with leading experts on the latest complaints of Singaporeans (most people call these experts taxi drivers because they drive these strange four-wheeled boxes that magically brings you to places without suffocating you).

One feature of the PTSE is the two and a half-hour wait exercise. The conditions were carefully modelled after past incidents of train breakdowns. For example, participants are not informed in advance of the PTSE and they must wait in the hot weather. They are also encouraged to take the shuttle bus instead of waiting for a taxi. This gives them a sneak-peak into the cramped, suffocating, richly aromatic conditions of the Singapore life.

The careful planning of the PTSE is remarkable. Even taxi prices were increased to simulate the relative poverty of common Singaporeans. Bookings were also disallowed as the exercise was meant to demonstrate the disruptive effects of unanticipated transport breakdowns. Allowing people to take the easy way out would have defeated the exercise’s purpose.

The exercise has not ended yet. The AirShow organisers, modelling their response after the government’s, are giving the excuse that they did not anticipate the high demand. They also say it’s not their fault more people came. Of course, all this is all just part of the exercise. And it has been a grand success.

Let us applaud the Singapore AirShow’s organisers for a job well done. I hope all other event organisers will take note of the socially responsible attitude here and consider doing more PTSE exercises.